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DOI

10.5670/oceanog.2010.65

Abstract

Seamount systems that are geographically, hydrographically,
topographically, and/or genetically “isolated” are likely to have developed highly
endemic taxa and ecosystems. Although current estimates of endemism are
challenged by inconsistencies in sampling approaches, the physical, biological,
and geological processes intrinsic to seamount systems can undeniably serve to
connect or isolate populations, stimulate genetic divergence, drive the formation
of new species, and structure diversity and endemism. In fact, the large variety of
interconnected mechanisms that promote or impede the genetic connectivity of
seamount communities via dispersal (and the long-term maintenance of species or
the subsequent divergence of populations leading to speciation) are key unknowns
to understanding the fundamental evolutionary processes that structure both the
diversity and biogeography of deep-sea fauna. Fortunately, the net results of these
ecological interactions at seamounts are represented in the patterns of genetic
connectivity of the constituent species. The conclusions of the relatively few genetic
connectivity studies across seamount fish, coral, and invertebrates are largely
inconsistent, reflecting the ecological and evolutionary complexities of seamount
systems. Yet, identifying the “connectivity” of seamount populations and their diverse
ecosystems, which are increasingly vulnerable to threats from destructive fisheries and
mining practices, is vital for developing and evaluating conservation and management
strategies for seamount resources. Integrated, multidisciplinary studies of the physical,
chemical, geological, an ecological dynamics of seamounts will continue to reveal the
value of seamounts as natural laboratories in which to gain insights into the factors
that elucidate the role these systems play in the dispersal, evolution, and biodiversity
of deep-sea fauna. These studies will also direct the management of seamount
biological diversity, which is increasingly susceptible to anthropogenic disturbance.

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